Teaching School in Buckingham County
Courtesy Library of Virginia
Following an enthusiastic response to yesterday’s initial list of White Teachers in Buckingham in 1894-1895, here is page two of the “Census of White Teachers.”
If you recognize a teacher, please leave a comment. . . .
slate river ramblings . . . . 
Reblogged this on Vanishing Memories.
Hi Joanne, I was so excited to see this post. “Mrs. S.L. Charlton” on Line 22, was my great-great grandmother! Her full name was Sarah Lavinia Anderson Charlton (1857-1944). She was the mother of 10 children, taught school for many years and reportedly sent all of her children to college, except the eldest son who took over operation of the Charlton Farm which is still located off of Hwy 15N just outside of Dillwyn. She was the wife of John James Charlton (1853-1922)), and was reportedly much loved and respected by all her family. “Grandma Charlton” is buried in the Dillwyn Town Cemetary in the Charlton plot. I will forward a picture of her in a separate email. Thanks for your post! Suzette Bardill
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Suzette, Many thanks for the details about “Mrs. S.L. Charlton.” We’re learning that many women in Buckingham County did not stop teaching once they were wives and mothers. Your great-great grandmother is a perfect example of a career woman. So many families in Buckingham valued education as evidenced by the creation of Buckingham Female Collegiate Institute. Joanne.
I believe the two Miss Cobbs were my 2nd great grand aunts, they were sisters. In the 1860 census, Martha Cobb was a teacher living with the Stegers in New Canton. I see that there is a teacher named Steger, also on the teacher list. I don’t have much info on the Cobb sisters, Martha & Mary.
Suzanne, Thanks for the possible identification of the two Miss Cobbs. Teachers frequently boarded with families living near their assigned schoolhouse. Perhaps someone knowing more about the Cobbs will see the your comment and comment. Joanne
I was interested in the BALDWIN and TWYMAN names in the second document since they are my family names. Baldwin surname and Twyman was my Dad’s given name and was named after a doctor in Appomattox named Dr. Twyman. Actually my Dad’s name is Doctor Twyman. I could not find anything regarding Miss B. Baldwin. I also searched Miss A.G. Twyman and Mr. S. R. Twyman and found a family on the 1920 census, James River District, Buckingham. John A. Twyman, superintendent public school; Augusta G. Twyman, teacher and John’s sister; Fanny A. Twyman, unemployed and John and Augusta’s sister; Samuel R. Twyman, farmer and brother to John, Augusta and Fanny. On the 1910 census Samuel was a teacher. So I believe that is little history for a few of the teachers on the list.
.In looking for the doctor Dad was named after I found a link in the special Collections Database at William and Mary named the Austin-Twyman papers 1765-1939. Would love to view those documents. I believe my Dad was named after Samuel Twyman. However I will search more to validate. We have no blood relationship to these people that I know of, but I think it’s interesting. I am sorry to long winded!
Thanks, Nancy. I suspect school teachers often “ran” in families. They did in mine. It is also interesting to find children carrying the names of people their parents admired, like Doctor Twyman.
I don’t know how many other doctors were in the Twyman bunch, but the father Dr. Iverson Lewis Twyman who died in 1864 and married for his second wife, Martha E. Austin, studied medicine in Pennsylvania, I think. I had originally thought one or more of his sons studied medicine, but am not certain.
Looks like most of the Twyman kids stayed single and they’re all buried up on the old Austin estate graveyard north of the St. Joy church on private land.
Thanks, Les, for adding this information.
Joanne
I don’t see Willie Gilmer on this list, maybe there was another one.
Mary, Willie Gilmer’s name is on “page one” of the Census of White Teachers, posted on June 9th.
Use this link: https://slateriverramblings.com/2014/06/09/teaching-school-in-buckingham-county/
Thanks, Faye!
Willie Gilmer was my great grandmother. She married Alexander Caldwell Horsley and had 4 sons and 1 daughter.